Astor Secondary School
Academy converter · sixth form · 732 pupils
72% stayed in education · Attainment 8 27.9
Academy sponsor led
Knole Academy
- Pupils on roll
- 1,410of 1,550 places
- Free school meals
- 24.0%
- Year 11 cohort 2025
- 234
- Ofsted
- School remains Good, 23 November 2022Read the Ofsted report
Results below include those reported under the school’s previous registrations: The Bradbourne School (URN 118902, until 1 September 2010); The Wildernesse School (URN 118905, until 1 September 2010).
What the data says
Of the 229 pupils who finished Year 11 at Knole Academy in 2023, 47% stayed on in Knole Academy’s own sixth form (Kent average 56%), 35% went to a further education college and 5% started an apprenticeship.
A level grades average D+, well below the England average of B-.
Among the 89 students who left the sixth form in 2023, 33% went to university (Kent 39%, England 37%), and 15% of level 3 students progressed to one of the most selective universities, against 19% nationally.
French is unusually popular at GCSE: 53% of the year group took it, against 18% of pupils across England.
Where pupils went after Year 11
Destinations of the 2023 Year 11 leavers, measured the following year: the share in a sustained place for at least two terms. Compared with all state-funded schools in Kent and England.
School sixth formSixth form collegeFurther education collegeOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Knole Academy | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils in the cohort | 229 | 17,954 | 607,348 |
| Any sustained destination | 93% | 93% | 92% |
| Stayed in education | 83% | 88% | 86% |
| — school sixth form | 47% | 56% | 34% |
| — sixth form college | — | — | 13% |
| — further education college | 35% | 28% | 37% |
| — other education | 1% | 4% | 2% |
| Apprenticeship | 5% | 3% | 3% |
| Employment | 5% | 2% | 3% |
| No sustained destination | 4% | 5% | 6% |
| Destination unknown | 2% | 3% | 3% |
Where students went after sixth form
Destinations of students who finished 16–18 study in 2023, measured the following year.
University (higher education)Further educationOther educationApprenticeshipEmploymentNo sustained destination
| Measure | Knole Academy | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students in the cohort | 89 | 14,947 | 541,441 |
| Any sustained destination | 84% | 80% | 79% |
| University (higher education) | 33% | 39% | 37% |
| — most selective universities (top third), of level 3 students | 15% | 20% | 19% |
| Further education | 1% | 4% | 5% |
| Apprenticeship | 7% | 6% | 7% |
| Employment | 44% | 30% | 28% |
| No sustained destination | 9% | 15% | 16% |
GCSE results 2025
| Measure | Knole Academy | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attainment 8 (average points per pupil) | 44.3 | 46.7 | 46.1 |
| Grade 5 or above in English and maths | 44% | 47% | 45% |
| Grade 4 or above in English and maths | 70% | 65% | 65% |
| Entered the English Baccalaureate subjects | 52% | 47% | 41% |
| EBacc average point score | 4.00 | 4.18 | 4.09 |
| Disadvantaged pupils in the cohort | 16% | 25% | 28% |
| Attainment 8 — disadvantaged pupils | 31.2 | 32.2 | 34.9 |
| Attainment 8 — other pupils | 46.8 | 51.5 | 50.4 |
| Pupils with high prior attainment (Key Stage 2) | — | — | — |
| English as an additional language | 6% | 12% | 19% |
Progress 8 is not available for 2025 and 2026: these cohorts had no Key Stage 2 tests in 2020 and 2021, so there is no baseline. Attainment 8 shows results without taking pupils’ starting points into account.
Subjects taken at GCSE
Entries in 2025 as a share of the Year 11 cohort, and the share of entries graded 7–9 and 4–9, compared with all entries in England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England | Grades 7–9 | England | Grades 4–9 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 229 | 98% | 88% | 14% | 22% | 75% |
| English Language | 229 | 98% | 89% | 15% | 20% | 73% |
| English Literature | 221 | 94% | 86% | 16% | 21% | 75% |
| Combined Science | 195 | 83% | 65% | 11% | 9% | 67% |
| Geography | 132 | 56% | 41% | 15% | 25% | 66% |
| French | 123 | 53% | 18% | 9% | 29% | 41% |
| History | 79 | 34% | 41% | 25% | 26% | 59% |
| Business Studies | 78 | 33% | 18% | 9% | 20% | 64% |
| Food Preparation and Nutrition | 39 | 17% | 8% | 0% | 21% | 49% |
| Statistics | 34 | 15% | 5% | 65% | 20% | 100% |
| Physical Education | 33 | 14% | 11% | 15% | 24% | 94% |
| Biology | 32 | 14% | 23% | 25% | 45% | 75% |
| Chemistry | 28 | 12% | 23% | 25% | 47% | 86% |
| Physics | 27 | 12% | 23% | 22% | 46% | 70% |
| Design and Technology | 25 | 11% | 11% | 8% | 23% | 12% |
| Sociology | 24 | 10% | 4% | 13% | 21% | 79% |
| Photography | 22 | 9% | 6% | 5% | 19% | 50% |
| Music | 22 | 9% | 5% | 9% | 33% | 73% |
| Graphic Communication | 21 | 9% | 1% | 24% | 23% | 67% |
| Fine Art | 21 | 9% | 9% | 19% | 28% | 95% |
| Psychology | 20 | 9% | 3% | 15% | 22% | 75% |
| Media Studies | 19 | 8% | 4% | 5% | 20% | 47% |
| Textiles | 16 | 7% | 2% | 6% | 27% | 38% |
| Computer Science | 11 | 5% | 13% | 45% | 30% | 73% |
| Drama | 7 | 3% | 7% | 57% | 27% | 100% |
| Dance | 7 | 3% | 1% | 43% | 27% | 86% |
| Russian | 3 | 1% | 0% | — | 87% | — |
| Art and Design | 2 | 1% | 7% | — | 24% | — |
| Citizenship Studies | 1 | 0% | 3% | — | 19% | — |
| Polish | 1 | 0% | 1% | — | 84% | — |
Technical awards and other Key Stage 4 qualifications
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Childcare Skills | 19 | 100% | — |
| Sports / Movement Science | 9 | 56% | — |
| Computer Appreciation / Introduction | 7 | 44% | — |
| Beauty Care / Services | 4 | 25% | — |
| Personal Health | 1 | 6% | — |
A levels and other level 3 courses
| Measure | Knole Academy | Kent | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Students at the end of 16–18 study | 200 | — | — |
| — of whom A level students | 16 | 7,794 | 261,341 |
| Average A level grade | D+ | C+ | B- |
| Average points per A level entry | 23.20 | 34.87 | 35.00 |
| Average grade, best 3 A levels | — | B- | B- |
| AAB or better with two facilitating subjects | — | 17% | 18% |
| Average grade, applied general courses | — | — | — |
| Average grade, T levels | — | — | — |
A level subjects
Entries as a share of A level students, compared with the share across England.
| Subject | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|
| Photography | 9 | 56% | 3% |
| Product Design | 7 | 44% | 2% |
| Textiles | — | — | 1% |
| Graphic Communication | — | — | 2% |
| Fine Art | — | — | 3% |
Applied, technical and other level 3 courses
| Subject | Qualification | Entries | Share of cohort | England |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Social Science | VRQ Level 3 | 46 | 100% | — |
| Finance / Accounting (General) | VRQ Level 3 | 30 | 100% | — |
| Self Development | IBO Diploma Programme Core | 24 | 100% | — |
| Law / Legal Studies | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | 14 | 88% | — |
| Health Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 11 | 69% | — |
| Sociology | IBO Higher level component | 11 | 69% | — |
| Untranslated Literature | IBO Higher level component | 11 | 69% | — |
| Management Studies / Science | IBO Higher level component | 10 | 63% | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Extended Certificate at Level 3 | 8 | 50% | — |
| Psychology | IBO Higher level component | 8 | 50% | — |
| History | IBO Higher level component | 6 | 38% | — |
| Mathematical Studies | IBO Higher level component | 6 | 38% | — |
| Baccalaureate | International Baccalaureate | — | — | — |
| Sports Studies | OCR Cambridge Technical Certificate at Level 3 | — | — | — |
| Biology | IBO Higher level component | — | — | — |
| Geography | IBO Higher level component | — | — | — |
| Politics | IBO Higher level component | — | — | — |
| Physics | IBO Higher level component | — | — | — |
| Music performance: Group | BTEC National Extended Certificate L3 - Band F - P-D* | — | — | — |
Other secondary schools in Kent
Aylesford School
Academy sponsor led · sixth form · 916 pupils
73% stayed in education · Attainment 8 37.6
Barton Court Grammar School
Academy converter · sixth form · 995 pupils
97% stayed in education · Attainment 8 66.4
Bennett Memorial Diocesan School
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,913 pupils
95% stayed in education · Attainment 8 54.0
Borden Grammar School
Academy converter · sixth form · 938 pupils
94% stayed in education · Attainment 8 63.2
Brockhill Park Performing Arts College
Academy converter · sixth form · 1,314 pupils
86% stayed in education · Attainment 8 37.4
Sources: Department for Education school and college performance tables 2024/2025 (Key Stage 4 and 16–18 results, subject entries, destination measures for 2023 leavers); Get Information About Schools register as at 19 September 2026; Ofsted management information as at 31 August 2026. Small numbers are suppressed by DfE and shown as “—”. How to read these figures.